


Think of Me Fondly

by skelesung



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Actor!Chan, Actor!Seungmin, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Ballerina!Felix, Bang Chan is a Good Friend, CHANtom of the Opera, ChanLix, Crossdressing, Dancer Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Director!Minho, Genderbending, Help, Hwang Hyunjin is a Good Friend, Implied Relationships, M/M, Phantom of the Opera - Freeform, Pianist!Jeongin, Soft Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Soprano!Hyunjin, Stagehand!Changbin, Stagehand!Jisung, chan phantom, crossdressing for theatre, first skz fic, hyunjin, hyunjin christine daae, i dont know what im doing, i hope ive tagged everything, implied jisung/changbin, skz - Freeform, stray kids - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 08:53:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27468262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skelesung/pseuds/skelesung
Summary: Accomplished singer Hwang Hyunjin has glass-shattering high notes that are exactly what Director Lee Minho needs for his upcoming production of Phantom of the Opera. Hyunjin accepts the role of Christine Da'ae as a favour to a friend, yet he feels as if he’s been led to his very own Angel of Music in the orchestra pit.At the same time, Bang Chan has that titular role - the Phantom, but can't stop thinking about the beautiful ballerina with the deep voice standing in as Meg Giry.Theatre AU (HyunjIN, Chanlix). Changing perspective between Hyunjin and Chan.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Hwang Hyunjin/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 19
Kudos: 91





	1. Overture

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy!  
> Not only is this my first skz fic, but it's also my first kpop fic in general, so please bear with me if it's a little rough! Thank you Riley for all the advice and help with writing for skz aaahhhhh <3  
> I got a lot of the inspiration for Hyunjin's vocal range from singers like Cezar, Prince and Thom Yorke - all of which can hit some amazing high notes! It's a little unbelievable, but it's a concept that's been haunting me for a while!
> 
> I hope you all like it!  
> (@wardiebobordie on twitter)

Hyunjin tapped his long, elegant fingers on the glass desk top, contemplating the peculiar offer being presented to him. He moved to take a sip of warm coffee, glancing briefly out his apartment window to the glittering streetlights below, as the voice on the other end of the line waited patiently for the request to set in.

“So, you want me to play Christine?” he repeated curiously. 

The voice on the phone, Minho, responded in a flustered voice. “Yes. Please. I’ve auditioned almost a hundred girls, and nobody can hit even close to an E6, I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think you could do it. Consider it a personal favour, please?” he explained, his hopes for running the show resting fully on the result of this singular phone call. 

Hyunjin sighed in resignation, “Well, since you said please”.

Minho audibly whooped at the response, showering Hyunjin in gratitude that he wasn’t sure he’d quite earned yet, but it certainly wasn’t going to stop him from accepting it. Once he hung up the phone, he flicked open his laptop to refresh himself on the role. Many, many moons ago he had the fortune of playing the character Raoul in a smaller college production, well before he started really developing the high notes that carved him a niche only few could dream of replicating. He opened up his calendar to clear out his upcoming auditions and settled in for the night diligently watching playlist after playlist of performances to prepare for what he imagined would be an interesting first rehearsal in the morning. 

\---

9:00am on the dot. 

Hyunjin stood on the street looking up at the studio building, its modern façade gleaming down at him and making him shudder. The contemporary angles and bright white paint offered him not a lick of comfort in a moment which he felt comfort would have been a blessing. Despite how lovely and innovative the building looked he still preferred the warm history of aged studios, with their streaky, chipped mirrors and floors scuffed from the shoes of a thousand dancers before him. 

It took him a moment to steel himself, preparing for the kinds of reactions he’ll receive upon introducing himself. A male Christine Da’ae? It had never been done before, at least, not to his knowledge. He certainly couldn’t find any videos of such a thing last night. 

With a delicate, nervous hand he opened the door to the studio and stepped into the mammoth rehearsal room. There were a few smattered groups around the place, chorus members who had clearly worked together before, and a small group huddling around the piano and its occupier. It was a past habit of his that he’d introduce himself first to the music director. It felt necessary to at least build some kind of rapport to take the edge off of how frustrating they often found working with his range. Hyunjin couldn’t really get a solid glimpse of the pianist at first, the bodies concealing the man’s form. He made his way over quietly and placed his bag down, finally catching an unobscured look at the young man. Only one thought crossed his mind in that moment – _oh no, he’s hot_. The pianist looked over and beamed sweetly in Hyunjin’s direction with a smile that was warm enough to melt the harsh tundras of Siberia. _How dare he just casually be that cute what the hell!?_ Hyunjin wanted to shout but instead settled for a much more appropriate friendly nod.

Minho finally poked his head up from his script and waved. “Ah! You made it!” he exclaimed, sounding almost too relieved to see his friend follow through in his promise. He clapped loudly, calling the rest of the cast to attention.

Minho flew through the housekeeping rules and some brief introductions, but Hyunjin wasn’t really paying attention. He could feel critical eyes boring into him from the ensemble group which he had been expecting to happen. What he didn’t expect was to glance up and lock eyes with the pianist, who had been watching him for quite some time now. 

“Now, let’s meet our principal cast!” Minho gestured for the little group to step forward and Hyunjin awkwardly stepped up with them. “Why don’t we start with you Chan?” Minho offered, clearly getting the idea that nobody really wanted to go first. Does anyone ever really want to go first?

A handsome, broad shouldered man stepped forward with a nod. “Hey guys, I’m Bang Chan, I’ll be playing the Phantom!” he grinned, a friendly kind of grin that would make anyone instantly consider him a friend. Clearly he had a few fans already in the room if the quiet giggles from the back were anything to go by. Hyunjin gave him a subtle look-over and decided that he certainly wasn’t opposed to being manhandled on stage by this delightful specimen. 

The next actor stepped forward, raising his hand in a polite wave, “Hi, I’m Kim Seungmin, I’ll be playing Raoul, it’s nice to meet you all”. Hyunjin vaguely remembered meeting Seungmin at an audition a few years ago for production of Cats. From what he could remember the man was a brilliant singer who was rumoured to have a fantastic stage kiss. _You’ll get to sample quite a selection of those_ , he thought. 

A few others stepped forward and though they seemed nice, none really appeared to grab Hyunjin’s attention in any spectacular way, and they didn’t really appear too concerned with him either. From the way they gravitated together they must have been friends already. It didn’t really faze him either way, less people to please was always a benefit. 

Hyunjin noticed Minho step out for a phone call, stress suddenly knitting his brows together. He briefly wondered what could have happened until he felt a gentle nudge from the actress beside him. It was finally his turn to step up, and the knot in his gut tightened to a point where he genuinely wondered if he was going to be able to speak at all. That being said, he was nothing if not a great actor, and first impressions were key.

“Hi, I’m Hyunjin, and I’ll be playing Christine,” he smiled his classic charming smile, desperately trying his best not to betray the charismatic veneer and maintain even the smallest hint of confidence. 

A mumble erupted, and Hyunjin internally considered for a moment just caving in on himself and letting his soul ascend to the astral plane. 

_“Wait, can he even hit those notes?”_

_“Oh my god wait, that’s Hwang Hyunjin, this dude’s got a range higher than Prince!”_

_“I hope Minho knows what he’s doing here”._

A clap on the shoulder ripped him out of his astral-projection fantasy and back into the present. Looking up, his worried gaze met the smiling eyes of Bang Chan. 

“It’s great to meet you, you’re gonna be amazing!” Chan offered, and Hyunjin noticed the other leads smiling reassuring at him as well. It gave him the pull he needed not to walk out and never return. Despite the suave personality he had become synonymous with, Hyunjin was - quite frankly - a beautiful blonde ball of anxiety and whistle tones. If anyone were to ask he’d say his best role was convincing the people around him that he was at least a somewhat put-together individual. He was well-aware that all it would take to convince the naysayers would be those first few saccharine notes falling from his mouth, trilling into the air effortlessly and cementing his right to be singing in that role. That didn’t make it any less daunting when Minho poked his head back in and suggested that Hyunjin and Chan run through the titular duet while he finished his phone call. Hyunjin caught something about wanting to kick off rehearsal with the ‘big number’, but Hyunjin got the sense that Minho wanted him to have the chance to win over the approval of his peers as soon into this production as possible.

Chan turned to the pianist, who was now clumsily flicking through his music book in search of the correct page. “You okay with that Jeongin?” he asked, and Hyunjin committed that name to memory then and there. 

Jeongin gave a thumbs up before suddenly turning to scramble through a stack of scripts. He pulled out an astonishingly thick music book and held it out towards Hyunjin. “Oh, sorry I almost forgot, you’ll probably need this!” he exclaimed, and Hyunjin took it gratefully, not wanting to break eye contact. “Minho said you weren’t going to use a transposition but I’ve got one there if you’d like at any point, Chan’s had a week to work both keys,” he asked, and Hyunjin could sense it wasn’t coming from a place of doubt. 

“Thank you, D major is fine for me,” Hyunjin replied equally as kindly.  
The room fell to a hush and Jeongin began playing the piano with a concentrated fervour, visibly excited to play the iconic riff for a group. It was endearing to Hyunjin, who took the intro as his cue to straighten his posture and open his diaphragm, ready to prove his right to stand in the shoes of Christine Da’ae. 

_“In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came,”_

Hyunjin barely looked at the score in his hand, and he could see Chan had his closed as well. It seemed a sacrilege to work in theatre as long as he had and not already know the words to such an iconic piece of music. He continued the verses, not holding back the mysterious lilt on his voice, pulling out all the stops to win over his audience, regardless how small the group. It was well known that Hwang Hyunjin had an incredible range, higher than that of most sopranos in the industry, but his range wasn’t where he placed his pride. It was the acting, the characterisation and the passion – that’s where he felt his true talents lay. He’d been in enough viral videos to win him a look in at auditions, but his raw, visceral acting was what really won him the roles in the end. 

Chan’s voice juxtaposed well with Hyunjin’s own. Chan had power, dominating tones that flooded over the innocent pitch of his fellow actor, melding tenor with soprano in a hypnotising chemistry that both singers could feel in the core of their souls as they sang.

 _“Sing for me my angel of music! Sing for Me!”_ Chan bellowed, and Hyunjin felt the pull to reply, opening his throat and reaching highs that drew stunned gasps from their small audience. He thrived of this feeling, building up the tension and soaring through the octaves until that one final note – the dreaded E6 that would make or break the whole experience. Hyunjin knew that come show time he would have it pre-recorded for safety, but for that moment he closed his eyes and sang, hitting the note dead-on and earning enthusiastic applause from everyone in the room. The anxiety twisting his gut had vanished, giving way to the thrill of performing, even despite it only being a rehearsal. Chan gave him a high five and a pat on the back, seemingly just as exhilarated about the performance. 

Giving a curt bow, Hyunjin turned to thank Jeongin for the accompaniment and was met with a peculiar look. Jeongin looked almost… fascinated? Hypnotised? Hyunjin began to blush and quickly turned away, instead turning his attention to Minho who was clapping in the corner of the room with a new actor beside him. Walking over, they got a better look at the newbie, a smaller man with ethereal features that even Hyunjin was jealous of. 

The new actor held out his hand shyly, “Hi, woah, that was amazing! You guys are really good!” he looked up at Chan, and Hyunjin immediately clocked the way Chan’s eyes glazed over. He smirked, making a note to bring it up later as an ice-breaker. 

“Oh, thank you so much! I don’t think we’ve met before, I’m Hyunjin,” Hyunjin took the tiny hand poking out from an oversized sweater sleeve, and gestured to Chan, “and that’s Chan”. 

“My name’s Felix, I’ll be playing Meg, as of today that is!” Felix replied excitedly. 

Minho started explaining to the cast that in order to change things the least amount possible, Felix would be singing two octaves lower than the normal pitch of Meg, a drop that surprised even Hyunjin. Apparently, the actress originally playing Meg dropped the role for another job, leaving Minho starved for pretty singing ballet dancers. 

Minho finished running through the changes with Jeongin and instructed everyone to prepare for a run through of Masquerade. Felix excitedly took his place at the front with the rest of the leading cast, right next to a flustered Chan. Hyunjin was delighted to hear how good their chorus was, and the astonishing deep tones coming from Felix added a beautifully rich new layer to the classic piece. The moment Felix opened his mouth to sing Hyunjin could see Chan practically melt. 

The cast ran through a selection of the remaining ensemble pieces and drew to a close in the late afternoon. As much as Hyunjin enjoyed being surrounded by the music, he could definitely feel the fine tendrils of exhaustion wrapping around his lithe frame. He made an effort to say goodbye personally to as many people as he could, and even managed to start up a group chat with the other principal cast members. He and Chan also took a moment to chat, and after only a few minutes the pair solidified a delightful friendship.

After a brief chat with Minho, Hyunjin made his way out to his car, exhausted, but buzzing with excitement for what this production would hold.


	2. All I Ask of You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a rushed one, I'm sorry! I promise the next chapter will be much longer!

Anxiety had long since left Hyunjin’s conscious with each rehearsal he attended, and now he found himself with more _excited_ butterflies floating around his stomach with each day he pushed open the glass studio doors. 

Chan was already milling about the piano where Jeongin was sitting when Hyunjin finally swept into the room, arms full of music and a frankly unnecessarily large sticker-covered water bottle. 

“Hey nerds,” Hyunjin clumsily flashed as best a peace sign as he could with his arms full, receiving a trademark grin from his co-star. There had only been about five or six rehearsals between them, but he and Chan had already curated a great friendship that he truly hoped would outlast this production. 

Jeongin tutted loudly, a smirk pulling at his thin lips and Hyunjin set his books down on top of the piano with a huff. Jeongin started vocal warmups with the pair, laughing almost uncontrollably when   
Chan jokingly attempted to match Hyunjin’s ungodly pitch and subsequently found himself screeching like a banshee into the void. Hyunjin took the moment to watch the way Jeongin’s eyes scrunched up with the pull of his smile, giving him a sweet expression that Hyunjin would sell a limb to see every day of his life. He briefly thought about planting soft smooches on those adorable cheeks. Not that he would ever get the chance to, but it wasn’t a crime to think about how it would feel, the warmth of Jeongin’s smile infecting him with delight.

“You good mate? Don’t clock out on me now, I carry enough of your sections as it is!” Chan elbowed Hyunjin good-naturedly, receiving a hard flick on the ear in response. 

Hyunjin chuckled and turned back to Jeongin, politely asking where they’d begin for the day. 

Jeongin flicked through some pages, “Well, since you’re both in such good spirits, I thought I’d absolutely shatter them by noon,” he smiled again, and Hyunjin raised his hand to his chest in mock indignation. “We’re gonna do _The Mirror_ right through to _Stranger Than You Dreamt It_ , no breaks until the end, then we’ll run each of your solos, and finish with _Point of No Return_ ,” Jeongin gave the pair a thumbs up, revelling mock-evilly in the groans he received in response. 

Chan and Hyunjin took their usual positions in front of the piano, Hyunjin gripping his score book - not to refer to it for lyrics, but to keep his eyes on something except the adorable face that Jeongin made when he was concentrating on playing.

Jeongin prompted them to put in as much energy as possible, before counting Chan into his dramatic starting lines. It always threw Hyunjin off his guard when he flipped his acting switch on, shedding the cheerful demeanour of Bang Chan and creating such an imposing presence, as if being possessed by the Phantom. Chan’s energy created an easy space for Hyunjin to become a shrinking flower, vulnerable to the deep, hypnotic tones. Their voices never sounded less beautiful together no matter how many times they sang these songs, and Hyunjin made a pact with himself to work with Chan again after Phantom closed. For a moment he even let himself fantasize of winning a Tony for his performance. 

Time flew by them unnoticed as they sang, piece after piece. Chan stunned Hyunjin with a phenomenal rendition of _Music of the Night_ , earning as much thunderous applause as a mere two people could offer him. 

Not a moment sooner than they finished the last syllable, Jeongin’s phone began to ring. He instructed the pair to take five while he took the call, and Hyunjin turned to find Chan giving him a sly grin.   
“You’re so not subtle oh my _god_ ,” Chan fell to a heap on the floor, stretching out his legs in front of him. 

Hyunjin scoffed, “Excuse me, but I’m _still_ wringing the water out of my shoes from the river of drool you left when Felix walked in!”. He took a seat on the studio floor as well.

Chan put his finger up to argue but dropped it swiftly in defeat. “Y’know I’ll give you that. But at least it seems like Jeongin likes you back!” Chan replied, kicking at Hyunjin’s outstretched foot. 

“I’d take your word for it, but I have a bad track record. He’s probably only using me as a musical guinea pig like the rest of them do,” Hyunjin’s voice trailed off into a soft mumble. It wasn’t the first, fourth or fifth time he’d misinterpreted feelings before, and he wasn’t about to make that mistake again. Music directors either thought he was a freak, or didn’t even know where to begin with him, so few even bothered. He often considered it a miracle that he even managed the success he’d found.

Chan could sense he’d hit a sore point and gave Hyunjin a sympathetic look. Hyunjin shrugged and looked up. “Anyway, I’m pretty sure Felix has a crush on you, did you see him at last week’s rehearsal?” Hyunjin pulled his knees into his chest, reminiscing on the way Felix near fainted and had to sit down for a while when Chan complimented the cookies he’d made for the cast at the last rehearsal.

“Don’t get my hopes up now, he’s probably got low blood sugar,” Chan rubbed the back of his neck, “hey, how about we make a pact?” he offered tentatively.

Hyunjin quirked an eyebrow, “pact? We’re not gonna swap spit or sign in blood or anything?”.

Chan waved the notion away. “No, god no! I was thinking way more innocent and schoolyard-ish than that,” he replied.

“I don’t know what Australian schools are like, maybe you used blood pacts!”.

“I’m starting to think you _want_ to use blood now”.

Hyunjin smirked, “absolutely not, this sweater is Gucci. Continue”.

“If I do a little persuading here and there, would you scope Felix out for me?” Chan offered. 

Hyunjin thought for a moment. A wingman pact. Chan was right, it was very juvenile, but he wasn’t at all opposed to the idea. What did he have to lose anyway? He already lost what dignity he had by playing Kenickie in a truthfully terrible college production of Grease many years ago. “You’ve got a deal,” he smiled, holding out his hand to his castmate to shake. 

At that point Jeongin returned to the room, a quizzical look on his face. “Should I be nervous?” He asked, pulling the lapels of his cardigan closed and returning to the piano.  
Chan jumped up, “We made a bet that if he hit every staccato in his solo that he wouldn’t have to shout dinner, are we ok to run that one?” Hyunjin was genuinely impressed by how smoothly he was able to change the subject. 

Jeongin made a joke about Chan betting on the wrong card, then flicked back through to the first solo of the show. “I’ll do Raoul’s parts for timing, you ready?” he smiled up at Hyunjin, who nodded softly in response, picking up the song book again.

He let the opening riff of _Think of Me_ float into his head, planting his feet into the ground. He readied himself for the barrage of high notes, opening his throat to let them escape into the space, and putting on a façade of naivety that was instrumental to the character. Glancing up, he locked eyes with Jeongin, who was already watching him with a curious stare, skilled hands almost automatic on the keys as if he’d played the piece a thousand times. Hyunjin blushed and flicked his gaze swiftly back to his book, but no matter how hard he tried, his eyes would return to the pianist. His words, laced with longing and pleading for affection, unconsciously directed themselves at Jeongin, gaining confidence from the rising blush creeping across his face. They only broke their gaze then Jeongin joined in for Raoul’s verse, the pianist looking down briefly to read the lyrics off the sheet. Hyunjin got shivers from his words, his head knowing they were lines, but his heart sensing a more pointed response to his call. 

Finally, he reached the staccato, smashing it out of the park first try. Jeongin’s foot remained on the pedal of the piano while they continued to maintain their stare, the final chord sustaining both the notes and the moment.

After what felt like an hour, Chan broke the silence, “Not that I doubted you, but how dare you be perfect in a rehearsal!” He slapped Hyunjin on the back, snapping him back to the present, “you better pick somewhere cheap to eat tonight!”.

Hyunjin had long since forgotten their cover story by that point, trying to decide if it really _was_ a heavy blush crawling up Jeongin’s neck the whole time or if he was imagining things. He turned and mouthed a subtle _thank you_ to Chan, who gave him a wink in return. Maybe the Aussie was onto something after all?

Hyunjin smiled, promising himself to get to work on scoping out Felix as soon as he could.


	3. Stranger Than You'd Dreamt It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all I'm so stoked with this chapter, she's a bit messy but it's gotta be my favourite yet!   
> I hope you all love it, and I'd love to hear feedback!

“Oh.. are you… are you _sure_ sir?” the poor barista almost dropped the pretty reusable cup she was holding.

Hyunjin gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes please, six shots and extra caramel syrup”.

The barista shrugged and set out to make the drink, occasionally side-eyeing Hyunjin curiously. First dress rehearsals had rolled around, and to say he was nervous would have been a drastic understatement. It sure wasn’t going to taste the greatest but he figured that the ungodly amount of caffeine would give him the push he needed to step through the threshold of the theatre. Things had been going well and he’d become quite friendly with most of the cast, save a small few who seemed to hold a grudge towards his landing of the part. Although it was getting easier to shrug off the negativity, there was still the hurdle of his castmates seeing him in costume for the first time, watching him perform in the opulent gowns with intense scrutiny. The fittings had gone beautifully, the costume designers were actually excited to create a wardrobe for such a unique version of the character. He pondered briefly on what Jeongin would think, but pushed that particular anxiety deep, deep down. _We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it,_ Hyunjin told himself, gratefully taking his coffee and making his way across the road to the theatre.

Scooting around to the stage doors, Hyunjin slipped into the building and found where the rest of the cast was milling about. Most opted to dress in the theatre space, leaving bags and clothing strewn across the red velvet theatre chairs. Minho waved him down from up on the stage, gesturing to the backstage area where his dressing room awaited.

The dressing room was - thankfully - not an insignificant space. A large vanity shone from the far wall, spilling light against the glittering rhinestones on his rack of elaborate costumes. Hyunjin began setting his belongings down and arranging the vanity to his liking, saving a space for the cursed coffee. Eventually it would be a frenzied mess of makeup, Hyunjin opting against having an artist in favour of the meditative time spent doing his own face. It would be a small, quiet reprieve from the chaos of the show nights.

A friendly young woman swooped in behind him and introduced herself. She began chatting to Hyunjin about his costumes, pulling out the first gown of the day and explaining in detail the way they’d go about his quick changes. The dresser made swift work of the outfit, fixing his hairpiece, corseting him up in record time and sending him out for his first big reveal. Hyunjin took a deep breath, hitching up his skirt and heading to the stage.

From behind the side stage curtain, Hyunjin stopped to take a few calming breaths. He couldn’t tell whether it was his nerves or the caffeine anymore. Chan was already dressed and onstage, chatting idly to Seungmin, who looked equally as dapper in his coattails. Felix was the first to notice Hyunjin’s presence, alerting his castmates with a loud gasp. Heads snapped in Hyunjin’s direction, and he stepped out into the light, revealing his costume. The bright stage lights illuminated the iconic Hannibal gown, glistening off of the bejewelled bodice. Green and red fabrics cinched his waist into only a _slightly_ more feminine shape, and the full ballgown skirt bounced softly around his legs as he walked. He and Minho decided to accentuate Hyunjin’s already quite long locks with lengths of bouncy blonde extensions. Minho decided early on that Hyunjin would keep his golden tresses in homage to the Christine in the old novel. Hyunjin was honestly just relieved he didn’t need to weigh himself down with a garish wig.

Chan held out a gloved hand, smiling wide from under his iconic half-mask. Hyunjin delicately placed his own hand out and received a small kiss on the hand in return. “Woah, you look amazing, the blonde is a really good look,” Chan gestured to the extensions with a sincere grin. It set Hyunjin’s heart at ease that Chan didn’t seem put off by the costume. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to suddenly get weirded out after actually having to see the gender-bending of the character. Not that Hyunjin was exactly known for sticking to the masculine anyway. Several other cast members approached to offer their compliments as well, soothing the anxious thudding in his chest.

“Thanks, you guys look really lovely!” Hyunjin replied, turning back to Chan and raising an eyebrow, “the tousled look is interesting”. Hyunjin reached up and tugged on one of Chan’s loose curls.

“Yeah, they tried gelling it back but by the time they could tame it, well, it just looked… wrong,” Chan shuddered at the memory.

Hyunjin tried to imagine Chan with slicked back hair and decided that perhaps it was for the best after all.

A gentle tap on the bare shoulder took Hyunjin’s attention away from the group chatter. He spun around to find himself face to face with Jeongin. The breath in his chest felt as if it were violently ripped from him, the look on Jeongin’s face almost unreadable as he gave the actor a full body look over. Hyunjin feared the worst in that moment, the weight of both his feelings and his costume pulling on him and his corset becoming almost claustrophobic. Jeongin opened his mouth to speak, but no words formed. Hyunjin could have burst into tears right then. It wouldn’t matter how much work Chan had put into being his wingman if the pianist were put off by the idea of Hyunjin looking… well… like _this_.

After what felt like a century, Jeongin looked him in the eyes and spoke. “You’re beautiful,” he said simply. Two words that both said so much and equally gave away so little. Hyunjin flushed red, his exposed decolletage suddenly mottled with rosy tones. He gave a shy thanks, the air between them tense with a feeling that neither wanted to assume the meaning of. Hyunjin wanted so desperately to sweep the pianist into a kiss but still couldn’t gauge what kind of reception such an act would receive.

The sound of Minho’s shouting cut through the thick air, returning the pair back to the present. Jeongin snapped back to reality and gave Minho a quick wave before turning back to Hyunjin. “We’re going to run the aria scene, then _Angel of Music,_ then I think Minho wanted to do everything up until your next big costume change. Is that okay?” he asked, his professional demeanour returning. Hyunjin gave him a cute smile and a thumbs up before walking back to his rehearsed place on the stage.

Minho had sent Jeongin to explain the first few scenes to Hyunjin before summoning Chan to the other side of the massive stage where two men were casually chatting against a huge gondola.

“This is Jisung and Changbin, they’re here to make things easier for the other stagehands because your character has too much technical shit going on for them to handle, so If you need anything backstage these two are basically your butlers,” Minho winked at the stagehands as he walked away, receiving poked out tongues in return.

Chan gave them both enthusiastic handshakes, both surprised and relieved to have his own little team.

The taller of the pair, Jisung, held up what looked like a joystick controller. He excitedly began showing Chan the gondola, explaining how the set piece will work, while Changbin grabbed a huge swathe of fabric off a table filled with props.

“Can’t be a phantom without this!” he opened the folded mass to reveal a stunning cape, delicately embroidered along the hem and collar, and fitted with dowels to allow for more dramatic swooshing action. “Don’t tell anyone, but we took turns wearing the cape and riding the boat around last night,” Changbin admitted with a chuckle, shifting to attach the cape to Chan’s neck.

“It’s so fucking sick, you’re gonna have so much fun!” Jisung added, ducking under to fix Chan’s mic pack.

Chan noticed the way the pair worked around each other like a well-oiled machine. “You guys worked together before?” he asked curiously.

Changbin laughed, “Among other things,” he replied, landing a surprise smack on Jisung’s butt, making him yelp. Chan could already tell he was going to enjoy working with these two.

Hyunjin stood in his position awaiting the music, fiddling with his own mic pack until he finally found the on switch. He noticed Chan getting fussed over by a couple of stagehands and briefly wondered if Felix felt jealous. Hyunjin thought to innocently ask him but came up with a much better idea. An idea for another day, however. He turned back as Minho called for places, eyeing the orchestra pit where Jeongin had set up his music stand to conduct. The pair met eyes, and Jeongin gave a wide smile before counting the band in.

Despite having run this song almost a hundred times by now, Hyunjin always felt _different_ when he rehearsed in full costume for the first time. It made everything feel more real, the way the tightly laced bodice held firm as he filled his diaphragm with air gave him a small rush. It was so much easier to slip into character. The weight of the skirts around his waist grounded him, and with each word he felt the delicate tickle of the extensions on his shoulders and down his back. In that moment, singing for the first time in the gown, with his fellow cast standing expectantly around him engrossed by their own roles, Hyunjin felt powerful. He felt _beautiful._ The seats were empty, but his heart was full. He sang to the spirits of history who haunted the halls of the old theatre, hoping to put on a worthy show for the ghostly residents.

Almost as soon as it began, the first song ended, and Hyunjin seamlessly moved with the cast into the next number. It never ceased to surprise him when Felix began to sing his lines in such a deep, rich tone, especially now that he was fitted in his delicate ballet costume. Hyunjin honestly preferred the juxtaposition of Felix’s baritone against his own soprano more than he liked the original piece. Felix had a charm too that would win the hearts of the audiences in a heartbeat. Without realising, he’d already managed to win the heart of the Phantom with it.

Once their duet finished, Hyunjin swiftly made his way offstage for his costume change, his lovely dresser unhooking his skirts and replacing them with a semi-sheer white robe. She gave him a quiet high five before sending him back out to Seungmin, who even in rehearsal had a suave energy that made his character immediately likeable. Their scene went by without a hitch, and before long it was time for Chan’s big entrance.

His voice boomed through the speakers, the sound engineer adding an intimidating echo that sent shivers through everyone’s bodies. He finally appeared onstage to take Hyunjin’s delicate hand and lead him around a descending catwalk and to the catacombs. Chan’s acting had Hyunjin in a trance, so much so that he didn’t even notice Jisung practically vibrating with joy as he drove the gondola out and around the stage with them in it. The two actors were in their own world, the tension and yearning between them palpable. It was the best onstage chemistry Hyunjin had ever felt, and he was thankful that Chan was such a supportive co-star and a great friend.

Chan moved through, smashing out his own solo with a sadness and sensuality that few could replicate. If Felix hadn’t fallen for Chan by now, Hyunjin feared that he truly may not be able to set them up after all.

Thankfully, Minho called a break after _Music of the Night,_ and although they didn’t say it, Chan and Hyunjin were infinitely grateful. They’d already pre-recorded Hyunjin’s high note, so his throat didn’t suffer too badly, but it was still best not to push it in just the rehearsal. While the pair of them caught their breath, Seungmin sauntered over and playfully poked at Chan’s side. “That was crazy, you guys must be putting in some _extra practise_ ” he joked with a playful wink.

Hyunjin and Chan both looked at each other, scandalised. “Him? Oh god no!” Hyunjin blurted out with a loud cackle.

“Yeah, nah mate. I mean, he’s pretty and all though,” Chan laughed, shrugging.

Seungmin’s smug face dropped to one of sheer confusion. “Wait, you mean you two aren’t fucking?” he asked with genuine uncertainty.

“I promise you we aren’t,” Hyunjin laughed at the misunderstanding.

“Well you guys sing like you are!” Seungmin looked as if his whole worldview shifted.

Hyunjin patted him on the shoulder, “Chan’s trying to bone Felix,” he said secretively, earning a swat across the stomach by Chan.

“Like you can talk! You can barely keep it together when Jeongin walks by!” Chan nudged Hyunjin playfully. Poor Seungmin looked frazzled but seemed to be cool with whatever the hell was going on. He even offered to keep an ear out for any gossip for them, an offer that the pair gratefully accepted.

Eventually, Chan ducked out of the conversation to hand in his cape, opting to sit for a while with his new side stage buddies while Minho called the ballerinas to the stage to rehearse the Buquet death scene. Felix took his place amongst the swarm and began to move, immediately catching Chan’s attention. He watched as Felix outdanced the rest of the ensemble, the sheer ballet wrap skirt floating delicately over his leggings and moving in rhythm with Felix’s precise movements. Chan sat, enchanted, watching the way Felix moved like he could feel the music coming from his heart rather than the band. It was endearing the way his lips ever so softly mouthed the timing of the routine. It was breathtaking to watch, and Chan would watch Felix dance all day if he could.

“Ok those are some ‘fuck me’ eyes if ever I’ve seen any, what’s the deal bro?” Jisung teased, softly elbowing Chan and snapping him from his daze. He and Changbin plopped themselves into chairs next to Chan’s.

“It’s nothing, just watching,” Chan stammered defensively.

Jisung was clearly not convinced by that answer. “C’mon man, secret for a secret. Binnie and I have made out on every conceivable surface back here. Your turn, who’re you crushin’ on?” he laughed.

“Gross, I still have to touch all these props,” Chan mock-complained and Changbin just shook his head with a small chuckle.

Chan finally sighed. “Fine, it’s that one over there, Felix. He’s just so pretty, and really, really nice. Not to mention his voice…” Chan could have gone on for days talking about why he liked Felix so much but decided against it.

“Hmm, we should set up a trap!,” Jisung exclaimed, his voice sounding concerningly mischievous.

Changbin scooted his chair around to create a small huddle, where the three men began plotting their ‘get-Chan-and-Felix-together’ plan.

_Yeah,_ Chan thought, _These guys are awesome._


	4. Notes/Twisted Every Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy!   
> This chapter turned out a lot shorted than I thought it would, forgive me! The next chapter is the finale, and I promise to make it a longer one! 
> 
> Thank you again for reading!! <3

The rhythmic pattering of rain on the glass apartment windows twisted and twirled with the sound of Hyunjin’s lo-fi hip-hop playlist to create a calm, relaxing afternoon atmosphere. There was only a couple of days left to go before opening night, and Hyunjin was taking as much time as he possibly could to rest up and _calm down_.

Rehearsals had wrapped up, which meant that Hyunjin had to prepare himself to be exposed to public scrutiny, or worse, _reviewers._ The cast by now had become like a family to him, so much so that he sought comfort in his time rehearsing. The anxious pull he used to feel now no longer drew him to the doors. Now appealing to the public – that was the final hurdle. He sipped his coffee and shook the thought from his head. It wasn’t worth getting worked up now, he may as well save it for opening night.

Carefully placing his mug down on the coffee table, Hyunjin flopped dramatically onto the sofa, feeling around for his game controller. Rainy days, music, and videogames? A perfect combination.

_Ding Ding._

Hyunjin reached lazily across to the coffee table to check his phone, seeing a text message from Felix waiting on his lock screen.

**_Lixie:_ ** _How are you feeling abt Friday? I’m SO nervous omg._

Hyunjin smiled. He enjoyed Felix’s company, the pair bonding over being the objectively weirder castings in the production.

**_Hyunnie:_ ** _I’m doing my best not to even think about it tbh, I’m sure the others are excited tho.  
 **Lixie:** Probably. Hey weird question, I want to change up my makeup for the show. Do you reckon you could give me a few tips? Figured I’d come to you cause you’re the prettiest maiden in the land :P_

Hyunjin couldn’t help but chuckle. He enjoyed taking Felix under his genderless wing, and Felix seemed to really appreciate the guidance from the more experienced actor. He considered for a moment giving his own advice, but quickly decided on a better plan. He liked the message, closed down the chat window and opened his existing chat with Chan.

**_Hyunnie:_ ** _what makeup do you think felix will be wearing on Friday?_

Hyunjin waited a few minutes for Chan to respond, sipping his coffee expectantly. He’d abandoned his search for the console controller by now in favour of his new text escapade.

Finally, Chan responded.

**_CHANtom:_ ** _wait what???? ahaha??  
 **Hyunnie:** I’m texting him now, apparently he’s changing up his look for the show, but he won’t tell me what it is and I’m dying to know!_

It wasn’t exactly the truth, but Hyunjin knew being offhanded and nonchalant would yield him the information he was looking for. Was it juvenile? Of course. Hyunjin revelled in it regardless.

**_CHANtom:_ ** _want me to tell you what I think he’s actually going to do or what I think would look sexy on him?  
 **Hyunnie:** Christopher! Are you experiencing what the kids call horny yearning?   
**CHANtom:** hey if I think he’d look super-hot in white mascara, that’s MY business ahaha!_

Bingo.

Hyunjin smirked, swiftly reopening his messages with Felix to relay the information.

**_Hyunnie:_ ** _y’know what I think would completely suit you? White mascara and liner! You’d look so pretty and delicate! Imagine people seeing how sweet you look then hearing your voice! You’ll be the talk of the show!  
 **Lixie:** bold choice, but I’m actually kinda into it, I’ll give it a go!   
**Lixie:** thank you~! Not gonna lie, I’m kinda jealous of your look, it must have been soooo easy pulling Chan looking that beautiful. One day you’ll have to reveal your secrets O.o haha! _

Hyunjin chuckled softly. If only he had a dollar for every person that thought he and Chan were dating. Maybe he’d be able to sneakily pay off the critics to give him a good opening night review.

**_Hyunnie:_ ** _pfffft! You sound like Seungmin! Chan and I aren’t a thing, only friends. He does have a massive crush on someone in the cast though, I know that much._

For a moment, Hyunjin considered spilling the beans and telling Felix the truth, but decided for both Felix and Chan’s sakes, he kept up the mystery.

**_Lixie:_ ** _wait for real? You two aren’t together?  
 **Hyunnie:** haha no, I’ve got eyes on another prize. You seem happy to hear, I’m guessing there’s a reason you asked?   
**Lixie:** It’s nothing!! Just curious ahaha…_

Hyunjin couldn’t help but laugh. His fingers lingered over the keypad for a moment, thinking about a response that would urge Felix to shoot his shot, without giving too much away. He readjusted his position on the couch after a moment and grinned at his phone.

**_Hyunnie:_ ** _Well, all I’m saying is that if anyone in the cast had a crush on him, I’d tell them to go for it cause I think they’d be surprised by the outcome ;)_

**\-----**

Chan huffed as his feet thudded on the treadmill belt. Sweat dripped down his brow and fell in droplets under him, whisked away by the swift moving platform.

The gym was quiet, much to Chan’s relief. Not that he didn’t enjoy company, but with such a big weekend ahead of him, he figured it was best to clear his head without a crowd. He’d received a few weird text messages from Hyunjin, which led him down a dangerous path of imagining Felix dolled up and looking ethereal. Felix with those glistening eyes, looking up at Chan from under snowy lashes. The delicate fluttering of those lashes against his cheek as they kissed…

Chan upped the speed on the treadmill in a weak attempt to block out his imagination.

_Ding._

He snatched his phone from off the treadmill.

**_Hyunnie:_ ** _Sooooooo… I think Felix likes you. He seemed pretty happy when I told him that we weren’t dating. You should make a move on him!_

Chan’s heart skipped a beat. Surely Hyunjin wasn’t serious?

**_CHANtom:_ ** _wait, you’re sure???????  
 **Hyunnie:** Yup! I also may have given him advice to act on it too. Who knows, if your plan works then come Friday night you might have a new boyfriend ;)_

Heart thudding, Chan turned the treadmill back down to walking speed and took a drink out of his water bottle. He was suddenly feeling both incredibly nervous and unbelievably excited about the plan he’d hatched with Jisung and Changbin. The pair seemed almost _too_ good at setting people up, which to be honest, he had been counting on.

It seemed only fair to Chan that he pull his wingman-weight. Tugging casually at the emergency stop clip on the treadmill, Chan flicked through his contacts until he found Jeongin’s number and dialled.

Thankfully, Jeongin picked up, offering a sleepy ‘hello’.

“Hey there! Just wanted to see if you had time on Friday to do a quick run through with Hyunnie and I before they open the doors?” Chan asked, his voice doing well to convey the sunny smile on his face.

“Hey, yeah sounds good, anything in particular you wanna work on?” Jeongin’s barely-awake voice crackled through the phone.

Chan smiled again, “Just want to run through the ending of _Phantom_ again, to get the vocals warmed up before the show”.

Jeongin agreed and the pair worked out a good time for the trio to meet. Once Chan had hung up, he reopened his messages and flicked a quick text to Hyunjin.

**_CHANtom:_ ** _hey so I just gave Jeongin a call, we’ve setup time to do a quick private runthrough before they open the house doors, meet us upstairs in the prac room :)_

Chan smirked at the message. He had _no_ intention of making it to that run through.


	5. The Point Of No Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! It's finally finished!   
> Thank you all so much for reading and supporting this fic! I hope you've all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! 
> 
> Thank you as well for all of your kind comments and kudos, I appreciate it infinitely, you're all so lovely <3 <3 <3

“Doors open in one hour! That’s one hour!” Jisung bellowed, clipboard in hand. The theatre bustled with life, actors and actresses scrambling to get dressed in a flurry of setting powder. In the air lingered the familiar tang of high-strength hairspray, making those who chose to warm up their voices in the dressing rooms grimace and sputter in a vain attempt to get the chemical taste off their tongues. With gloves on and sleeves rolled up, Changbin expertly manoeuvred a heavy crate of ropes through to his side stage area, dodging the swarms of dancers stretching out their long legs in the hallways. He sent a wink towards Jisung, who shot back an exasperated thumbs up in return, before turning to chastise a dancer for using a particularly ornate set piece to stretch his leg on. Chaos.

\---

Peace. Hyunjin was so grateful for his own dressing room. With a steady hand he applied his eyeliner, humming quietly to the soft song playing through his Bluetooth speaker. The backstage noise was not entirely blocked out, but enough that it allowed Hyunjin a calm, almost meditative space to ready himself. Despite the calm in his practised application, he could feel the familiar pangs of anxiety rolling through his chest. Excitement too, for sure, but that would come later, after the first few lines slipped through his trained lips and received those sounds of awe from the audience. Only then would he allow himself the satisfaction of a job well done. Minho chose him because he believed wholeheartedly that Hyunjin could step up to the challenge. It was up to him now to prove to the audience that he could.

With the last few swipes, Hyunjin finished applying his makeup and gave himself a moment to admire the finished product before clipping in his hairpieces. Standing up, he removed his silk robe and began dressing himself. It was still twenty more minutes before his dressers were set to arrive, but he was already short of time and likely going to be late to his rehearsal with Chan and Jeongin. Besides, it wasn’t the first time he’d had to put his own corset on. With nimble fingers he tightened it to slightly tighter than comfortable, allowing for the laces to give a little with wear. Glancing up, he let out a soft cuss at the time, grabbing his panel skirt and fastening it on his way out of the dressing room.

\---

  
Chan paced nervously around sidestage, having already applied his makeup and dressed himself with forty-five minutes to spare. His boots left small black scuffs on the wooden floor, but he didn’t care enough to stop. Changbin and Jisung had told him to wait in this area for their “master plan” (Jisung’s words exactly) to take effect, thought they didn’t really tell him many more details than that. For now, all Chan could do was wait and fiddle with his cape fastenings for the hundredth time.

“Um, Chan?” A small voice startled him out of his nervous pacing.

Chan turned to answer, but instead found himself completely and utterly at a loss for words. In front of him stood Felix, dressed from head to toe in his full costume, down to a pair of brand new pointe shoes. His eyes were lined in an almost opalescent white, mascara in the same stark colour, making the beautiful brown irises seem somehow larger and more sparkling. As he stepped forward more into the light, Chan noticed that Felix had also glued small crystals along his bottom eyelids, the light catching them and making the already ethereal looking man look utterly angelic. Any hope Chan had of forming a coherent sentence died on his tongue as Felix fluttered his delicate eyelashes at him.

“Jisung asked me to come and help you with this, he’s busy with a transition or something. Is… is that okay?” Felix held out an item in his petite hands that Chan immediately recognised as his Phantom mask.

“Yeah, thank you,” Chan replied breathlessly, leaning down for Felix to slip the mask on and position the strings carefully around his hair and headmic. Chan watched Felix’s lips, gently pouting in concentration, before moving his eyes up to lock their gazes together. Faces only inches apart, neither man wanted to move. Chan could feel Felix’s soft breath on his face, close yet agonisingly far.

Felix lifted a shaky hand and brushed a stray curl from Chan’s face, and Chan instinctively took a half-step forward, lessening the gap between the two by a few more centimetres.

“You,” Chan began, stopping for a moment to regain his composure, “You’re so gorgeous”. He lifted his own hand up to touch Felix’s cheek, thumb gently stroking over his pale skin, careful not to smudge his masterfully applied highlight. “You’re perfect”.

Felix’s breath shuddered, but he didn’t look away. If anything, the look in his eyes became more desperate, a silent plea for Chan to close the gap between them. He leaned into Chan’s touch, and Chan took the gesture as _his_ cue to lean in, pressing a gentle kiss onto Felix’s soft lips. He was careful to restrain himself, waiting to feel his partner’s response before deepening the kiss. Felix however kissed back with more passion, moaning slightly as Chan parted their lips and darted his tongue out to explore Felix’s perfect mouth, nipping at his lips without a care in the world for his now smudged lipstick.

Felix, emboldened by Chan’s growing passion, grabbed the taller man by his coat lapels and pulled him backwards, landing with a loud BANG against a set piece, firmly pinned under Chan. A movement that served to only spur Chan on further, now kissing more fervently, pulling his mask askew for better access to Felix, who dipped down to suck small bruises onto Chan’s neck and collarbone.

“God damnit, I told you guys to stop sitting on the set or you’ll get hurt-WOAH” Jisung stopped dead in his stride at the sight of the two actors intertwined in a heated embrace, laughing uncontrollably as they broke apart and tried their best to regain their composure at being caught out. “Twenty minutes, lovebirds!” Jisung shouted, giving Chan a thumbs up and cackling to himself triumphantly as he walked away.

Chan looked back towards Felix, who started to giggle while fixing his hair. “So… uhm, are we…? I mean, can we be..?” Chan asked awkwardly, fixing his mask.

Felix leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, “Yes, please”.

\---

  
It seemed like he’d traversed a thousand stairs by the time Hyunjin hurried his way up to the small studio, stopping to catch his breath quickly before slipping in the door. Inside, Jeongin was tapping away idly on the piano, quietly improvising a sweet tune that echoed slightly with the acoustics of the room.

There was also no Chan to be found.

Jeongin turned with a smile, his eyes lighting up when they landed on Hyunjin’s form, far beyond the limits of gender and striking a beautiful figure in the classic red and green of the Hannibal ballet dress. Jeongin’s small gasp wasn’t lost on the actor.

Hyunjin made his way toward the piano slowly, conscious of the way the panels on his skirt floated around his otherwise bare legs. Jeongin stood to face him, his suit perfectly tailored to his thin body, tails almost floating behind him as he moved, bowtie adding that last formal touch. Hyunjin was suddenly self-conscious of his own lack of footwear.

“Hi,” he said softly.   
  
“Hi,” Jeongin replied, smiling that adorable smile. Hyunjin _so gone_ for this man.   
  
Jeongin must have noticed the way Hyunjin glanced quizzically around the room. “Chan’s not able to make it sorry, he had to sort some stuff out with the stagehands. It’s just us if that’s okay with you?” Jeongin asked.

_Of course,_ Hyunjin thought, realising only just then that he’d been set up. Not that he was upset about being alone with the pianist. “I don’t mind at all,” Hyunjin replied, a vain attempt at keeping his voice calm and confident.

Jeongin seemed to see through it though. “It’s okay, take a breath. We don’t have to run anything. I can only imagine how nervous you must be for the show,” he placed a comforting hand on the actor’s bare shoulder.

Hyunjin huffed out a short breath in amusement, _If only you knew,_ he thought.

The pair stood in silence for a moment, taking comfort in each other’s presence. Hyunjin felt his nerves melt away as the seconds passed, in awe at the soothing effect of Jeongin’s mere presence. “You look really good, I like your suit,” he spoke softly, tentatively.

Jeongin’s cheeks flushed. He grabbed Hyunjin’s hands and held them together in his own. “Thank you, and you… You’re beautiful,” he looked into Hyunjin’s eyes as he spoke, “You’re going to be amazing, you’ll make the audience fall in love with you”.

It was Hyunjin’s turn to blush now, the rosy flush blending with the peachy blush packed onto his cheeks. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Thank you, but I’m not _that_ good by any means,” he half-smiled.

Jeongin tightened his grip on Hyunjin’s soft hands, tugging them gently as if to draw the actor’s gaze back toward him. “You are, I promise you,” his features were more serious, taking Hyunjin by surprise. “You’re very good at making people fall in love with you, trust me”.

_Oh._

Surely he heard right? A confession? Hyunjin’s cheeks burned hot as he searched Jeongin’s gaze, trying to find any clue that he was joking or just being nice. All he could find was sincerity, as much as his mind tried to tell him it wasn’t. Hyunjin tried to block out his self-deprecating thoughts, the memories of past romances ending in nothing but heartbreak as Hyunjin mistook manipulation and professional curiosity for love. His stomach rolled again with washes of anxiety, and his mouth refused to form any words.

Thankfully, Jeongin broke the silence. “You should get going, I think it’s only ten minutes until doors. I’ll see you down there, _Miss Da’ae,”_ he released Hyunjin’s hands and gave a curt bow, before moving to open the studio door and once again expose Hyunjin to the sounds of chaos.

\---

A full house. Hyunjin peeked carefully from behind the sidestage curtains as the auction scene played out on stage, waiting patiently for his cue. He didn’t hear the soft footsteps approach him.

“So, those text messages. I’m guessing you weren’t just curious?” Chan smirked, watching the action onstage.

Hyunjin jumped, clapping his hand over his mouth to stifle a yelp. “Like you can talk!” he poked out his tongue dramatically. “Any progress?”

Still without looking down, Chan smirked and simply hooked a finger into his collar. He pulled it back slightly to reveal a small smattering of fresh marks. Hyunjin gasped quietly and gave Chan a high-five. “What about you?” Chan whispered.

“I don’t know, I think he kinda told me he likes me, but I can’t be certain,” Hyunjin sighed, “He said I’m good at making people fall in love with me”.

Chan chuckled softly, “I think that means he likes you,”.

Hyunjin shrugged. The music swelled and dancers began to take their places on stage, Hyunjin’s cue to move. He clapped Chan on the back before he went, skipping lightly out onto stage to take his place.

The stage lights were blindingly bright, but Hyunjin was thankful for their brightness. It made it much easier to forget the hundreds of people staring at him, scrutinising. Before long it was time for him to sing, Madame Giry leading him forward to centre stage. Hyunjin could feel the stares boring into him, the anticipation in the air constricting him more than his corset, which had thankfully settled to a comfortable tightness around his body. He glanced down to the orchestra pit, where Jeongin was smiling up at him with a reassuring look, enough to calm his nerves and steady his voice. Finally, he took a breath.

“ _Think of me, think of me fondly, when we’ve said goodbye,”_ he began, the notes soft and nervous, a young Christine singing for her role. Hyunjin continued, notes building confidence and tone. He felt the music in this chest, his limbs. His words floated with the orchestra, filling the theatre, and drawing sounds of awe from the audience that fuelled him to the last note.

The show continued beautifully, the audience clinging to every moment. From Felix’s hauntingly deep rendition of _Angel of Mus_ ic, to Chan’s spectacularly hypnotising _Phantom of the Opera._ Seungmin and Hyunjin received particularly enthusiastic applause for their exquisite performance of _All I Ask of You._

In what felt like no time at all, the show had finished, and the cast piled back on stage for the final bows. Hyunjin proudly took Seungmin and Chan’s hands for the bow, smiling brighter than he ever had while the audience showered them all in more applause than he’d ever received. Chan gave Hyunjin a subtle nudge and gestured to the pit, where Jeongin was looking up with pure adoration in his gaze.

\---

Hyunjin returned to the quiet of his dressing room, closing the door behind him and exhaling heavily. He took off his chorus shoes and began undressing, returning the wedding dress to its place on the wardrobe rack and slipping back into his robe.   
His dressing room was now filled with beautiful flowers in all colours, little cards with congratulations poking out from the intricate arrangements. Unclipping his hairpiece, Hyunjin sat down in front of the mirror and began to brush out his long, blonde locks, pulling them back into a messy ponytail. The adrenaline from the show had worn down and he was feeling the exhaustion creep over his body. Reaching out to grab a makeup wipe, he noticed a single flower that stood out from the rest, placed carefully on a free spot on his vanity. He abandoned his quest for the wipes and instead picked up the flower - a single red rose with a black satin ribbon tied in a soft bow around the stem. Hyunjin quirked his eyebrow, noticing a small card also tied to the stem.

_Love me, that’s all I ask of you._

Hyunjin nearly dropped the rose in surprise, his thoughts raced so fast that he didn’t hear the door open and close softly behind him. The visitor cleared their throat softly, and Hyunjin whipped around to find Jeongin standing shyly by the closed door. He had abandoned his suit coat and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, the slight dishevelment of such formal attire serving only to make him look more charming. Hyunjin stood slowly, looking down at the rose and back up to Jeongin.

“Well?” Jeongin asked softly.

Hyunjin launched himself into Jeongin’s arms, an embrace that filled every inch of his body in loving warmth. He looked up to find Jeongin smiling, that beaming smile that made his eyes crinkle up. Hyunjin grabbed him gently around the nape of his neck and pulled him into an affectionate kiss. To say that time stopped in that moment would be cliché, but Hyunjin didn’t care about semantics, all he cared about was holding on to Jeongin with everything he had, letting the rest of the world fall away and leaving only them and that moment.

Eventually they pulled apart, and Hyunjin looked at Jeongin like he was the whole universe.

He smiled.

“Yes”.


End file.
